NHS eyes giant leap for patient care with UK space agency

Top doctors met with UK space experts to see how astronomic technology could be adapted for use on the NHS.

Earth

In the run-up to the NHS’ 70th anniversary, a delegation of doctors led by Professor Tony Young met with representatives of the UK Space Agency and the Satellite Applications Catapult at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire – known as the UK Space Gateway.

The delegation witnessed a range of impressive technologies developed to explore the solar system and which are already being used to support patient care.

These include a wearable monitor that helps elderly and vulnerable people avoid falls by using microelectromechanical (MEMS) gyroscope equipment, partly based on technological breakthroughs made as part of America’s space programme to monitor how people walk. Following a 10-minute assessment, physiotherapists can prescribe a personalised exercise programme to reduce the risk of a fall.

Also demonstrated were cancer screening vans which are being used in a trail funded the UK Space Agency’s Space for Smarter Government Programme. The vans beam images directly back to assessment centres to reduce the time it takes to diagnose cancer which also removes the need for paper records.

Satellite monitoring was also touted as a technology that could help people living with COPD get information about air quality in their area. More so, satellite broadband could help ambulance services in rural communities get real-time patient information and allow them to send vital details ahead to hospitals.

NHS England is currently working with Innovate UK to invest a £100 million grant to improve connectivity through satellite to share healthcare information. Apps which use satellite technology could be used to give personalised risk assessments of sun exposure. Apps such as Happy Sun could form part of a patient’s package of care in the near future.

NHS England’s national clinical director for innovation, professor Tony Young said: “In the NHS’s 70th year we are using satellite technology to revolutionise breast cancer screening by beaming scans back to hospitals from mobile screening units next to shopping centres and speeding up diagnoses.”

UK Space Agency head of applications, Emily Gravestock said: “Technology from space is already improving our daily lives, and health is no exception. The NHS breast screening vans are a great example of how Britain’s world-leading space industry has come up with an innovative solution to support vital public services. As our space sector continues to grow, with support the support of Government’s Industrial Strategy, these opportunities will only increase.”